The information processing device such as a personal computer and a server includes interfaces for attaching a variety of equipment. Each of these interfaces normally includes an attaching unit, a connector and a control unit. The attaching unit is also called a bay or a slot and provides a space for installing the equipment. The connector on the side of the information processing device is also called a host-sided connector and connected to an equipment-sided connector serving as a partner connector. Electric signals or electric power are or is inputted and output between the information processing device and the equipment via the connectors. The control unit included in the interface controls the equipment received to the attaching unit by the electric signals inputted and output via the connectors under the management of a Central Processing Unit (CPU) etc. of the information processing device. This type of interface can be exemplified by a bay interface. The equipment connected to the bay interface will hereinafter be called a bay device. Further, the attaching unit, into which the bay device is attached, is referred to as a bay structure.
FIGS. 1 and 2 each illustrate a configuration of a conventional bay interface. FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a notebook type personal computer including a conventional bay structure, and a bay device. Further, FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the conventional bay interface. The personal computer will hereinafter be abbreviated to PC.
As depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, a PC 350 includes a bay structure 301. An optical drive, a hard disk, a battery, etc. can be exemplified as bay devices that can be inserted into and extracted from the bay structure 301. These devices illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 will hereinafter be referred to as a bay drive 302, a bay hard disk 303 and a bay battery 304. The bay structure 301 is also called an attaching unit to which a single bay device can be attached selectively from within plural types of bay devices.
Each of the bay drive 302 and the bay hard disk 303 includes an interface based on the Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (which is abbreviated to SATA and also called Serial ATA) standard. Then, a SATA-based connector 305 is packaged in each of the bay drive 302 and the bay hard disk 303. The SATA-based connector will hereinafter be simply termed the SATA connector. The bay drive 302 and the bay hard disk 303 are connected via SATA connectors 305 to the PC 350, and transmit and receive interface signals 309 as in FIG. 2. Further, a battery-standard connector 306 is packaged in the bay battery 304. The battery-standard connector will hereinafter be simply termed the battery connector. The bay battery 304 is connected via the battery connector 306 to the PC 350, and transmits and receives interface signals 311 in FIG. 2.
On the other hand, the PC 350, which has adaptability to the bay drive 302, the bay hard disk 303 and the bay battery 304, includes a mainboard 307 in an interior of its body. The SATA connectors 305 defined as a first connector and the battery connector 306 defined as a second connector are respectively packaged in the mainboard 307. Accordingly, when the bay drive 302 or the bay hard disk 303 is inserted into the bay structure 301, the bay drive 302 or the bay hard disk 303 establishes a connection with a SATA controller 308 on the mainboard 307 via the SATA connectors 305, thereby enabling the signals or electric power to be transferred and received. Further, when the bay battery 304 is inserted into the bay structure 301, the bay battery 304 establishes the connection with a battery controller 310 on the mainboard 307 via the battery connector 306, thereby enabling the signals or the electric power to be transferred and received.    [Patent document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-309771    [Patent document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H09-237141